MELBOURNE, Australia(AP) Dinara Safina had just advanced to the Australian Open semifinals, staying on track for her first Grand Slam title and a chance to become No. 1.
But she thought an apology was in order - to the 15,000 partisan fans that had cheered every point for her opponent, Jelena Dokic, in Tuesday's quarterfinal at Rod Laver Arena.
I'm sorry I had to defeat your Australian,'' Safina told the crowd after her 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.I hope that next time you'll be behind me.''
The 25-year-old Dokic had that kind of effect on just about everybody at this Australian Open.
Her emotional outpouring after her first-round win, when she spoke poignantly of the devastating effect that her overbearing father, Damir, had earlier in her career, won over fans within and outside of tennis.
She spoke of her injuries and deep depression, how she put her tennis racket away for nearly a year, and stayed away from the sport for almost three years. And how she decided to start again from the ground up, playing low-grade Challenger tournaments.
Dokic, born in the former Yugoslavia, migrated to Sydney with her family as a child and represented Australia at the 2000 Olympics. But she renounced her Australian ties in 2001 to move back to Serbia, then decided to begin competing for Australia again in 2006 after a change of heart.
Her story goes back a decade, to when she was the 16-year-old qualifier who beat No. 1-ranked Martina Hingis in the first round at Wimbledon.
She was a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2000 and her career was on the rise as she collected five WTA singles titles. In 2002, she held the No. 4 ranking.
By 2006, her ranking had plummeted to 617. Then began the revival. She won a wild card tournament for entry to her first Grand Slam in three years and started with a No. 187 ranking.
She'll be in the top 100 when new rankings come out next week, and hopes to make it much higher.
She's a great player,'' Safina said.It's just a matter of time if she continues working hard like this.''
Dokic's comeback story through the first nine days of the tournament was front-page news around Australia, the lead item on newscasts, not just sports updates. People who never watched tennis started watching again.
The experience wasn't lost on Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.
``Anytime you run an event of this nature, if there are stories that create a tremendous amount of interest outside the sport, then it is special,'' Tiley told The Associated Press.
``She has drawn new fans. Her fairytale story at the event will leave a mark as one of its highlights.''
Certainly it will vindicate her decision to keep playing.
I definitely made the right choice,'' Dokic said.I have really fought well this week. I have no regrets. I just would like to keep it going.''
At Melbourne Park, she beat three seeded players in four rounds, including No. 11-ranked Caroline Wozniacki. Against third-seeded Safina, she had her service broken in the ninth game of the final set. Safina then held serve to take the match.
I played well with a girl who's No. 3 in the world,'' Dokic said.I can still really take positives out of today.''
Dokic last week told of the effect her father had on her career. Damir Dokic was ejected from a 1999 tournament in Birmingham, England and later arrested for lying down on a road.
In 2000, he fought with a television crew at the Australian Open, smashed a journalist's mobile phone at Wimbledon and was thrown out of the U.S. Open after an argument over the price of fish. He was barred by the Women's Tennis Association from attending tournaments for six months.
Although Jelena and Damir no longer speak, Jelena has reconciled with her mother, Liliana, and younger brother Savo, whom she telephoned in Serbia on Tuesday to wish him happy birthday.
Dokic said she's prepared for a possible emotional letdown from her Australian Open experience.
There is a possibility of that happening,'' she said.It's been really great to play in front of crowds here. I've shown that I can play with some of the best girls in the world, top 20, top 10.
``It's been a great start to 2009. I couldn't have asked for anything more.''